Information

Rowing in the Merrimack Valley

The Essex Rowing Club is a private, non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that exists to advance the sport of rowing in the Merrimack Valley and Southern Hampshire regions. Through instruction and the promotion of the health, welfare, and long-term development of its athletes, the Essex Rowing Club seeks to link experiences of all backgrounds, races, origins, genders, and cultures to prepare generations of athletes and coaches to be productive members of society. The character of the athletic programs at the Essex Rowing Club reflects the values of excellence, integrity, respect, commitment, leadership, and teamwork.

The River

Benefiting from approximately 8 miles of uninterrupted water, the stretch of the Merrimack River between the Lawrence and Lowell dams is home to Essex Rowing as well as Andover Crew (Phillips Academy Andover) and Greater Lawrence Rowing. A largely undeveloped, forested shoreline and moderate 150-300 meter width make the water especially resistant to the influence of wind and an ideal venue for rowing.

Launch Site and Equipment

Essex Rowing maintains its facility on the Merrimack River at 656 Lowell Street in Methuen, MA. Athletes have access to 27 Concept 2 Model D Indoor Rowing Machines, which can be used with our 12 sets of Concept 2 Slides, and 3 RowPerfects. Essex maintains a state of the art fleet of 48 shells. This includes:

Brooks' Indoor Facilities

Benefiting from an ongoing partnership with the Brooks School in North Andover, members of the Essex Rowing Club enjoy regular access to the school's Indoor Rowing Facility throughout the winter and early spring seasons. The newly renovated Danforth Gymnasium features two eight-person rowing tanks, each of which is flanked by mirrors for direct technical feedback. Also available are 12 Concept 2 Model D Ergometers. This climate-controlled gymnasium serves as an ideal training resource when access to the river is unavailable in the winter months. Beyond the winter months, the ergs and tanks are an invaluable tool for developing the mechanics of the rowing stroke absent the balance demands of on-the-water rowing, a situation especially suited to the earliest stages of novice rowing.

Youth Rowing

Essex Rowing's youth (aka junior) programs are structured and run as competitive teams with the ultimate goal of performing at a high level for year-round interscholastic competition. Novice (or first-year) athletes are initially run through months of skill development and basic aerobic training before ultimately testing themselves against other novice athletes in regional competition. Following their first year in the sport, athletes will move to the varsity level where they will focus their training on preparation for competition at a much higher level ranging from state to national championships.
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Adult Rowing

Our adult programs begin with introductory sessions which, like the youth, are focused on skill development and on building a basic level of fitness. Following these sessions participants will have the option of continuing at levels of involvement ranging from a couple of practices a week to regular training towards age-group based competitions.
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